Escape From The Ponderosa
by BettyHT
Summary: WHI for The Lady from Baltimore: Joe and Adam are at odds; how will they repair their relationship and what changes will happen for the Cs especially Adam?
1. Chapter 1

Escape from the Ponderosa

WHI for the Lady from Baltimore

Chapter 1

Joe couldn't stop thinking about seeing Adam's hands on Melinda's arms. He was holding her and it was obvious to Joe that Adam had kissed her against her will. Joe just kept thinking that Adam always had to come out on top; he always had to be the winner. Well this time Joe was determined to prove him wrong. Adam had ridden out hours earlier after telling his Pa it was a good time to do the tasks he had put off because they had guests. Joe had been ready to ride after him to finish telling him what he wanted to but Ben had forbidden him to go. Every time Joe thought about it, he got angrier and angrier.

"Joe, ya gotta let this go. It's gonna eat ya up inside."

"I can't forget it. I love her. I want to marry her, and all I can see right now is Adam's hands on her."

"Joe, Pa said SHE kissed him."

"That's a lie!"

"Joe, our brother can be mean and ornery and bossy and uppity sometimes, but I ain't never known him to lie jest like I ain't never known him to push himself on a woman."

"Well, there's a first time for everything. I saw him, Hoss, I saw him."

Hoss put his hand on Joe's shoulder. There was nothing more to say. Slowly Joe stood and with Hoss' hand still on his shoulder, they walked inside. Hoss was hoping that Joe would talk with their Pa. Pa would be able to settle Joe down and make him see reason Hoss hoped.

Inside and upstairs in a guest room, Melinda was talking over the same situation with her mother Deborah, but the tone of the conversation was completely different.

"Don't you see, mother, Adam will have to marry me now. After what Joe saw, he won't want me, but Adam will have to marry me because of what they all think."

"Darling, poor deluded darling. The Cartwrights are not going to make Adam marry you for one kiss especially as he told Benjamin that you kissed him."

"But what if I said he touched me and did other things? That would make them, wouldn't it?"

"Yes if something else did happen, that would certainly change things. But nothing else happened, and Adam is gone now. Darling, Adam isn't right for you. He has no feelings for you."

"But mother, he is a wonderful man, and I just know that in time, he would love me."

"No, it is not possible. Joseph is the one who will love you. He already does."

"Mother, I want to talk with Mr. Cartwright right now."

"Not until I know what you are going to say. I want you to get those foolish ideas out of your head right now. I want you to go downstairs and say yes to Joseph's proposal of marriage. Then I want you to ask for a wedding to take place as soon as possible. Saturday would be good."

"All right, mother, I'll do as you say."

Still a little nervous about what her daughter would say especially after the sudden capitulation, Deborah escorted her out of the bedroom and toward the stairs. Melinda began crying and Deborah was amazed that real tears were sliding down her cheeks. She certainly did look the part of the assaulted maiden. As they began to walk down the stairs, the three men down below looked up with varying degrees of sympathy. Ben was wondering what this was all about, but at the moment, he had no way of determining what the Bannings were up to. That was going to suddenly change. Joe rushed to the stairs to reach out to Melinda but she spurned his advances. Deborah started to get very worried that her meticulously plotted plan was going to suffer another major setback.

"Darling, if this is too much for you, we should just go back upstairs until you feel better."

"No, Mother, I want them to know everything that Adam did."

"Melinda, this is not proper. You are overwrought. You need to come back upstairs and rest until you are feeling better."

"Don't you want them to know? Don't you want them to know that he touched me? That he touched me in places only a husband should touch a wife? If he won't marry me, no man will want me. He has ruined my life."

"Melinda, you're distraught. You said it was a kiss. That's all these men saw. Please come upstairs with me now."

"Mother, he touched me before he pulled me to him and kissed me. And I've never been kissed like that either. He, he-"

Melinda dropped to her knees sobbing. It was a very effective presentation but the only one believing it was Joe. Ben knew that she was lying. His son would never have done what she said. Hoss was embarrassed too to see her lie that way. Trying to rescue something out of the ashes of her plan, though, Deborah turned to Ben.

"Benjamin, it seems that there is only one way out of this mess without having to call upon the services of the sheriff and ruin the lives of all involved. Adam must marry Melinda. They will undoubtedly have to move away from here to avoid the inevitable problems in your family that this will cause."

"Deborah, you should take Melinda upstairs. We will talk later."

Deborah helped Melinda to her feet and escorted her up the stairs. Melinda's sobs echoed through the room until they heard the bedroom door at the end of the hallway close. Joe turned in fury to his father.

"There, that proves it. She's willing to give up marrying me because of what Adam did!"

"Joseph, you need to calm down. She's lying, son. You know Adam would never do these things that she has claimed. What I am more worried about is that Deborah has talked of calling the sheriff. Adam's reputation would never recover from that happening."

"Adam's reputation! That's what you're worried about. What about me? What about Melinda?"

"Joe, Pa's right. Adam would never a done those things she said. You'd know it too if you would just take a minute to think. I know you're in love and your temper done empties your head sometimes, but ya gotta take a step back and think about this."

"So why am I not surprised. You're both on his side. Well, I'm not, and I never will be again. He's ruined my chance at happiness. I'm going outside. I can't stand to be in here a moment longer."

Joe strode from the room and slammed the door behind him.

"Pa, what are we gonna do?"

Ben sat at his desk and dropped his forehead against his fists. He shook his head. He had no idea what to do next. A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Hoss went to answer the door and hopefully to get rid of whomever was there. Instead, Ben heard him invite someone inside. It was Horace Banning dressed in an outrageous suit and tie and looking like a traveling drummer instead of a successful businessman. Ben greeted him and Horace had to ask why everything seemed so somber. Ben and Hoss filled him in on what had been going on.

"Ben, I know Adam just like I know Hoss here. I don't know your youngest very well because he was so young the last time I saw him. But Ben, I know Adam couldn't have done anything like this anymore than I would believe Hoss would have. I will go upstairs and speak with my family to see if I can get to the bottom of this. I wish we had been reunited under better circumstances."

Horace went up the stairs and Hoss called out that it was the last bedroom on the right. Then he looked at his Pa who for the first time today had a more relaxed expression. Perhaps there was a way out of this. Hoss said he would go outside to find Joe to see if he was ready to talk. After a short time, he was back. Joe wasn't there and Cochise was gone.

"Where do you think he went?"

"Maybe to the lake. He goes there a lot when he's troubled."

"You're probably right, Hoss. Give him some time and then go out there. He needs to be back here to talk this through."

Upstairs there was an entirely different kind of conversation going on.

"How could you come here? You'll ruin everything."

"Ruin everything? My dear, I can't see that there is anything to ruin. It seems that there is a huge mess here and it has ensnared my good friend and his sons. What have you been up to?"

"Just trying to ensure our daughter's future. Something you were never able to do. Who would marry the daughter of a man who can't keep a job more than six months at a time?"

"Mother, please. Papa, I am so glad to see you. You like Adam, don't you? You think he'll make a good husband, don't you? You always talked about how clever he was and what a great future he had and what a gentleman he was. Papa?"

Melinda started sobbing then. Her father felt she needed to calm down before they would be able to find a resolution to this mess. He suggested she lie on the bed and try to sleep for a bit. He indicated to Deborah that they should leave and she shook her head and flounced out of the room ahead of him. Once in the hall, she directed her husband to the bedroom she was using. Once inside, she again turned on him and how he was ruining their daughter's life.

"I think you have done a masterful job of that, Deborah. Now I suggest you be quiet until we can talk with Melinda quietly. She needs to find a way to tell the truth without making herself out to be any worse than what the Cartwrights already think of her."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

About two hours from the house, Adam decided to make camp. He was emotionally and mentally exhausted from the day's events. He would use the camp as a base of operations for a few days and hoped that by the time he returned home, things would have settled down. He wished now that he had stayed to clear the air with Joe but the two of them seldom made any progress on an issue when their tempers were hot. After unsaddling Sport and grooming him, he gave him grain and then hobbled him so he could graze. There was water nearby and Adam took his canteen and the small coffee pot to go get some. When he returned, he set some coffee to simmer and took off his gun-belt and laid it next to his saddle. He propped his rifle near by in case there was any threat. He didn't expect one but it paid to be careful. After a short time, he picked up the rifle when he heard a horse approaching. Seeing a familiar pinto, he set the rifle down.

Joe rode up next to his camp and dismounted. Adam had expected to see him look calmer and ready to talk, but instead he looked even more upset. In addition, it appeared that he might have been drinking. Adam knew their father would never have let him drink when he was so angry so he must have gotten a bottle from one of the men in the bunkhouse. Unfortunately, he probably had had too much of it.

"What can I do for you, Joe?"

"You can come back and face what you've done."

"That's just it, Joe, I didn't do anything. She did. I'm sorry about that but I didn't start anything with her, I just finished it by pushing her away."

"You're a damned liar. She said how you touched her and forced yourself on her. You need to come back. Deborah wants to get the law after you, so you better come back with me."

Joe stood there defiantly, breathing rapidly, and obviously very upset.

"Joe, I'm not going anywhere with you. You can't seriously believe what that empty headed little temptress has said."

Joe got even angrier at that point. He pulled his pistol and aimed it at Adam.

"You're coming back with me even if I have to force you."

Adam knelt next to the fire and reached into his right pocket for his handkerchief to lift the coffee pot from its perch next to the fire. When he did that, Joe fired hitting him in the forearm. Adam fell back grasping his forearm tightly to his side.

"What the hell!"

Looking behind Adam, Joe suddenly saw his gun-belt and rifle next to his saddle.

"Adam, I thought you were going for your gun. Oh God, Adam, I'm sorry. Here let me help you."

Adam growled at him. "Get the hell away from me."

Grimacing in pain, Adam retrieved the handkerchief with his left hand and wrapped it around the graze in his right forearm. Seeing that it was a graze and unwilling to do any more harm, Joe said he would send Hoss back, and then he mounted up on Cochise and left. Adam tried to call out to Joe to stay but he couldn't say it very loudly with his teeth clamped together as they were. As Joe galloped away, Adam pulled open his vest to look at the hole in his side. The bullet had grazed his arm but passed through his right side. He felt around his back despite the pain in his right arm and found the exit hole. It wasn't much of a wound, but now he was out here with no help and night coming on. He pulled an extra shirt and pair of socks out of his saddlebag. He used the socks as a thick pad over each hole and then tied the shirt around his middle to hold them in place.

Adam had more worries. If he went back, and Deborah called the sheriff in, it wouldn't matter what he said because sympathy would lie with the girl. From what Joe recounted, she hadn't claimed enough that anyone would feel they had to hunt him down. In time he hoped it would all settle out. He decided to get as far away as he could tonight so he could buy himself some time. He hoped to get to the nearest line cabin before it got too dark. There would be more supplies there and he would be protected against predators who would be attracted to the scent of blood. He laboriously packed up his camp and saddled Sport which took far longer than it usually did. He was glad he had fed and watered his horse already because his energy was diminishing rapidly. He was in shock and it was affecting his thinking but of course he wasn't aware of that. He heard Joe's accusations at home and in camp again and again in his head.

As twilight was descending, Joe rode into the yard at the Ponderosa. Two hours of riding in the cooler late afternoon air as well as what he had done had helped sober him. Ben and Hoss immediately came outside to find out where he had been because Hoss had been unable to find him.

"I went to see Adam. Oh Pa, I'm so sorry. I shot him, Pa. I thought he was pulling his gun,

and I shot him."

Ben's heart rate shot up and he grabbed Joe by the shoulders. Joe was sobbing. What Joe had done had made him think, and he didn't like where those thoughts had taken him. In his mind over and over he thought 'How could he have accused his brother who had loved him all his life? How could he have thought that Adam would draw on him?' He had wanted to go back again and again but forced himself not to do that. He was so ashamed and didn't want to cause any more trouble for his brother than he already had.

"You shot Adam. Where is he? How badly is he hurt? Joe talk to me now!"

By then, all three Bannings had come outside as well and had heard that Joe had shot Adam. Melinda started to wail.

"How could you do that? He was going to come back here and marry me and now you've ruined it. Mother, you said he would come back and marry me if I said he did those things. Now he won't. Joseph Cartwright, I hate you. You ruined my life."

Melinda turned and ran back in the house followed by Deborah. Horace walked slowly behind them with his head hanging in shame.

"Joseph, tell me about your brother!"

"Pa, I grazed his arm. He told me to get away from him. How could he want me anywhere near him after what I did? I told him I'd send Hoss back."

After Joe explained in more detail what had happened and gave directions, Hoss wanted to head right out but Ben stopped him. It was nearing dusk, and in that rough terrain, Hoss could be seriously injured if his horse slipped or fell. Hoss did not like his father's decision.

"I don't like it either son, but Joe said it was a graze. He'll be fine until morning and then you can bring him back here."

Once inside, Horace stepped forward.

"I will be taking my family to town as soon as I can. I have Deborah and Melinda packing now. Melinda has far more in common with Deborah than I ever knew. Unfortunately she is not nearly as intelligent as her mother and thought that her childish plan of concocting a set of lies could actually work. She has attempted to manipulate your son into marriage. Deborah was doing the same with Joe in trying to get him to be our daughter's future."

Joe was sitting and had his head hanging. Ben wanted to comfort him but also wanted to take him over his knee. He had thought that Joe had better sense than this, and to let this girl blind him to his brother's love was incomprehensible. Hoss saw the looks that Joe was getting and suggested they better get out to the stable and do chores.

"Hoss, do you think it would be all right if I came with you tomorrow?"

"I think that is the first sensible thing you said today. Pack what you need tonight. We're leaving as soon as the sky starts getting light."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next morning as the sky was just beginning to lighten, Hoss walked to the stable to saddle his horse. Within a minute, Joe was there with a food sack and medical supplies Hop Sing had handed to him. No one was speaking to him and for that he was grateful because he knew that all they would say would be the same kind of things he had been saying to himself for the last twelve hours. Joe was surprised but shouldn't have been when their father walked in the stable and saddled Buck. As soon as the horses were saddled, they headed out.

Four hours away, Adam had awakened to find that he had a fever and that he had bled much more than he had expected. He slowly got up from the bunk and pulled the sheet off the bed. There was a large bloodstain on it. He tore it in two to make two new pads. He untied the shirt he had around his middle and replaced the socks that were saturated with blood with the two pads made from the sheets. Then he tied his shirt around his middle again. Suffering from shock, blood loss, and a fever, he could only think that he needed to get away and that he needed to get help. He tossed the bloody socks into the fireplace. He had not made a fire last night because his stomach rebelled at even the thought of food and it was relatively mild weather even up here. He hadn't unsaddled Sport either, but had just loosened the cinch. He walked outside with his saddlebag and canteen. With a grunt of pain, he tightened the cinch.

"Sorry, boy, for neglecting you. I'll do my best to make it up to you as soon as I can."

With more grunts of pain, Adam mounted up and sat there for a moment. He needed help. Downhill was to the Ponderosa and more trouble. Uphill was more arduous but would eventually get him to a small mining camp. They would have alcohol at least and perhaps someone with some medical training. He headed uphill. For two hours he rode through some difficult terrain. Finally he came upon a trail. He wasn't sure where it led but he followed it because he could no longer take the pounding of the uneven terrain. It was a trail so it had to lead to some people. He just hoped they were friendly. As he rode, he leaned forward more and more with his head down just urging his mount to move forward.

On the Ponderosa, Ben, Hoss, and Joe kept expecting Adam to come riding toward them. After two hours, they reached the spot where he had started to make camp and it was clear he had not stayed the night there. Now they wondered where he could be. Hoss suggested he headed to the nearest line shack even though it was two hours riding uphill. It didn't make a lot of sense at this point but they had no other way to go. The terrain made tracking extremely difficult so they simply took the most direct route. Within an hour, Hoss spotted signs that he had passed that way. They speeded up with the belief they would find Adam at the line shack. Once they could see it in the distance though, there was no smoke coming from the chimney and no horse in the small corral. They continued on to see if he had been there at all but wondered why he would have left if he had been there.

Once at the line shack, it was clear that Adam had been there. What was shocking though was finding the bloodstain in the bunk and the blood saturated socks lying in the fireplace. Ben turned to Joe to ask him again how Adam was injured. Joe demonstrated what he recalled as happening. Hoss was the first to understand.

"So he was kneeling down and when he reached for his handkerchief, you thought he was going for his gun so you shot? Then he pulled his arm into his side? Pa I think Adam got shot in the side. Normally if your arm is hurt you would pick it up. He pulled his wounded arm into his side instead."

"But why wouldn't he come home so we could help him? Why is he riding away from us?"

"Pa, I said he had to come back with me or Deborah was going to call on the sheriff to arrest him for what he did."

"Oh God, this is a nightmare. We need to find him and soon. We'll spread out and follow the three directions he could have gone. We'll split up the medical supplies and the food. Don't come back until you find him or you know he didn't go your way."

On the trail on the other side of the mountain, Adam saw a wagon pull out onto the road ahead of him. He didn't have the strength to yell out for help. He watched as the wagon grew smaller and disappeared around a bend in the trail. He urged Sport to go in that direction. As he neared the bend, he thought he heard another wagon but was getting confused about everything. From around the bend behind him, a carriage came rolling at him. He was sitting on his horse in the middle of the trail and made no move to either side. Finally Sport in a near panic jumped sideways and Adam flew off into the brush next to the trail. The driver of the carriage pulled up and climbed out to race over to him.

"Why didn't you move? Oh I hope you're not hurt. Oh no, you're bleeding, a lot. But that didn't just happen did it?"

Seeing the makeshift bandage around his middle, the woman who had been driving the carriage sat back. This man needed help. She would not be able to get him back on his horse so she went to get her team to pull the carriage next to him.

"Come on now, mister, you have to help me here. Can you try to stand if I help you?

Hearing what sounded like an affirmative answer, she got his left arm over her shoulder and did her best to get him upright. The next task was to get him to shuffle over to the carriage and get in. It took almost twenty minutes to accomplish that as both of them needed to pause often. Finally he was in and she walked to Sport who shied away from her.

"Well, you can follow or stay. I can't take time for you now."

She climbed into the carriage and snapped the reins and the horses headed out at a good pace with the wounded man leaning into one corner. Sport stood with his reins down on the ground effectively ground tied as he had been trained. He wasn't going anywhere. That's where Hoss found him hours later. He fired three shots although he doubted that his pa or Joe would hear them because they had gone in different directions. They did hear the echo of three shots and although neither could tell where those shots came from, it did tell them they were going in the wrong direction. Once back at the line shack they knew it was Hoss who had found something so they headed uphill in the direction he had gone.

"There he is and he's got Sport."

Ben and Joe headed to where they could see Hoss riding. Once there they were sadly disappointed that he had not found Adam. He had been looking for some sign of his brother ever since he found his horse but could find nothing. All he saw was that a carriage or wagon had stopped and it appeared that Adam was now on that vehicle. There were so many tracks like that on the trail though that he had no idea where his brother could be. They continued until it was too dark to see but never found another sign of Adam. The next day they would do the same. When they finally got to the small community of Alturas, no one had any recollection of anyone fitting Adam's description. They had well and truly lost him and had no idea where to look.

Later that same day, Adam awoke in a bed with sunlight streaming in through the window. He had no idea how he had gotten there. He felt his side and there was a large bandage there and there was a bandage on his arm as well. That was about all he had energy to do so he lay there waiting to see who his savior had been. He didn't have to wait long. A woman entered the room with a tray and immediately noticed the hazel eyes staring at her.

"Well now, we been waitin for you to wake. Let me tell my missus and I'll be right back."

Another woman entered the room with the first after just a minute.

"It's so good to see you awake. I was afraid that I would have a man die in my house. I would not want to live here if that happened, and I do like this house. We're going to get some water and broth into you. It's going to be a lot easier now that you're awake."

She climbed onto the bed and got her arm around Adam's left side and pushed him up until she could get behind him. Then she told him to lean back into her and rest his head on her shoulder. The effort almost made him lose consciousness, but she kept talking to him and encouraging him to keep his eyes open just a little longer. Because of the efforts of the two women, Adam drank almost a cup of fluid before his weakness overwhelmed him. As she pulled out from behind him and let him settle back into the bed, she talked with him.

"We'll get introduced later. You did real well. You're a fighter. I can tell that. You just keep fighting, and we'll be here to help."

"He is a right purty one, ain't he, missus?"

"Yes, Belinda, he is a handsome one. I have to wonder what he was doing on that mountain with two bullet wounds though and all dressed in black. That pistol and holster look like they belong to a man who knows how to use them. I am praying that we did not bring an outlaw into our home."

The next time that Adam awoke, it was dark. He was feeling a bit stronger than the first time and realized that he wasn't wearing anything. There was a sheet and a blanket over him so there was no immediate problem, but he realized the two ladies had seen all of him that was to be seen. He thought he heard something and realized that one of the ladies was sleeping in a large rocking chair not too far from the bed. He also realized what had awakened him and he was wondering what he could do about that. Finally he softly said 'Ma'am' a few times. She stirred and awakened.

"You're awake. How do you feel? Would you like something to drink?"

He said 'no' with what was a bit of desperation and she seemed know immediately what the problem was. She walked to the table near the wall and turned up a lamp that was there. Then she pulled a chamber pot next to the bed. When she reached to pull the blanket and sheet away from him, he wanted her to stop.

"I'm going to see you sooner or later as we do this. There's no man of the house so it's one of us. I can't do this with my eyes closed. Well I suppose I could but I'd have to feel my way and you would likely be even more embarrassed by that."

Adam smiled and would have laughed but even small chuckle that slipped out hurt a bit so he held back. She smiled at him. Her joking had done exactly what she had hoped. He let her pull the sheet and blanket back and helped him swing his legs off the bed so he would be able to use the chamber pot. Then she helped him lay back down, pull his legs back onto the bed, and covered him again.

"Well after that, we really do need to introduce ourselves. I am Eve Hamilton. My husband and I owned a lot of mining operations here. He has since gone to heaven, and though I loved him dearly, I am in no hurry to join him there. This is where I live during the warmer months of the year. I spend my winters in my home in San Francisco."

Looking expectantly at Adam, Eve waited to hear his name. He appeared reluctant to tell her.

"No matter what, I am not here to judge. I saved your life and I would like to know your name. When you are healed, you are free to leave here."

"My name is Adam."

"Oh now you're just having fun with me. Adam and Eve. Not too original though. I think you can do better than that."

"I'm Adam Cartwright."

"Well I know of one Cartwright family and they own the Ponderosa."

"That would be the one."

"Then what are you doing here, alone, and wounded? I would think the Cartwrights would have men working for them who would be willing to help. And then there's your family. I have always heard what a strong family it is."

With that, Adam dropped his head down. He didn't want to talk about it.

"All right, honey, maybe tomorrow. But you owe me the truth. It is the least I should get for saving your life."

Adam lay in the bed and heard Eve return to the rocking chair. He said a quiet 'Thank you' and heard a quiet 'You're welcome' in reply. He had trouble falling back asleep though. He wondered how much he should tell her. Finally he decided to tell her the whole story. It was actually a pretty good story as long as you weren't part of it. With that decision made, he was able to sleep. Adam awoke in the morning hearing rain falling on the roof. He gazed out the window at the rain that was washing everything clean again. Oh how he wished that could wash away his troubles.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

In Alturas, Ben, Hoss, and Joe watched the rain with sadness. It was washing away any tracks. Even if they backtracked now to follow up wagon and carriage tracks that left the trail, the ones they needed to see were already being obliterated. The slim hope they had to find Adam was gone now. Donning rain slickers they purchased at the mercantile, they headed home. Each prayed because they thought Adam needed those prayers.

In Eve's home, Belinda brought two trays to the guest bedroom. She had a standard breakfast of bacon, eggs, bread, apple slices, and potatoes for Eve. For Adam, she had a tray with broth, coffee, applesauce, and some soft scrambled eggs. Adam was understandably perturbed to get his tray when he was able to smell the food from Eve's tray. Eve smiled at him.

"Well your appetite seems that it may be back to normal. If you can keep that down, we'll start you with more solid foods for lunch. For now though this is what you get. So thank Belinda and eat."

Adam finished his food and leaned back into the pillows with a contented sigh. When Eve finished, she picked up his tray and put it with hers outside the door. Then she sat in the chair and told him it was time to talk. He looked at her and told her the whole story. It took quite a while.

"You'll need to go back."

"I know."

"Why didn't you go back when you were shot? Surely, they would have helped you."

"I don't think I was thinking well by that morning. I can barely remember what I did much less what I was thinking. And yes I could have gone back and they would have helped me, but Melinda is still there with her accusations. I don't know what she wants, but if I stay away long enough, she'll give up. I just hope that Joe doesn't marry her in the meantime."

"You're not serious? You don't know what she wants? She wants you! Sweetie, it's you she wants, not Joe."

Adam looked at her in disbelief.

"She wants me so she said things that could get me locked up?"

"Oh, honey, you know that out here just like anywhere else in the country, the family would be just as happy with a marriage sentence as a jail one, perhaps even happier with the marriage."

Eve sat in the chair watching him as he processed their conversation. Then he looked at her and smiled.

"Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive."

"Sir Walter certainly got that one right."

Adam was surprised. People usually assumed it was Shakespeare when he said that. Eve knew the poem _Marmion_ though. He was quite impressed and Eve could see that. She was pleased with herself for impressing this man and then a little embarrassed to realize that was true. Next she decided to impress him further.

"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."

"Congreve's _The Mourning Bride_. You are quite well read."

"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times."

"I love that book. I just got it a year ago. I fell in love with it almost before I read it I think. The leather cover, the printed word, just moves my soul."

"Well we shall have a lot to discuss during your convalescence. Now I know you must know that we undressed you when we got you here. Belinda has your shirts all clean and pressed and mended the two holes in the one. Your pants are also clean. Black is a wonder when one is washing out blood, but your drawers were a mess as I expect you already know. I have some of my husband's clothing including drawers packed away yet, but my husband was smaller than you, shorter and much thinner."

Adam grinned at that, and Eve began to blush.

"He was a man of small stature, quite short if you will."

Even as she said it she started to smile and as she saw Adam trying not to laugh, she lost control and laughed longer and louder than she had in quite a while. Downstairs Belinda listened and was happy that Eve was finally over mourning her late husband. He had been a dear but my goodness it was three years almost that he was gone. Belinda just hoped that Eve didn't start to expect a relationship with Adam for she didn't believe there was any future for them. The age difference alone would be a major obstacle. She had to be ten or fifteen years older than that handsome man.

Adam was holding his side and trying to stop laughing but the emotional release was so necessary, he couldn't stop. Finally with tears running down their faces, both were able to regain their composure. Adam leaned back with a sigh.

"That hurt but felt good too."

"Honey, I don't think I've laughed like that in years. Yes, it felt good. But back to my original topic: now that you're feeling better, Belinda and I need to make a supply run to town. We can buy fabric and make some drawers for you very quickly. Is there anything else you would like us to get?"

Adam mentioned socks and handkerchief but Eve said she had enough of those packed away for him to use. Finally he thought to ask about Sport. Eve had to tell him about leaving him on the trail and that he wouldn't let her get close to him and wouldn't follow the carriage either. She could see that bothered Adam, but there was nothing that could be done about that now. Adam would not be riding a horse anytime soon anyway so they had time to decide what to do about getting him a horse when he needed one. For now, they would talk until lunchtime, and after lunch, she and Belinda would head to town.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Back on the Ponderosa, the situation was tense. Joe wanted to go searching again and Ben was inclined to agree with him. Hoss just asked where they were going to search. Adam was obviously with people. Someone was caring for him but they had no way to know. He suggested they put up the equivalent of a wanted poster in Alturas and along the trail to that town. He suspected that Adam was somewhere in that vicinity. Ben had to accept the wisdom of Hoss' idea. They immediately got to work on wording a poster and then sent Joe into town to have some printed. Joe was anxious to get going with this project. He would not be able to sleep well again unless he made things right with Adam. The next morning, Joe and Hoss headed out to put some 'wanted' posters up along the trail and in Alturas. Assuring their father that they would be back in two days or would send word why they were not back, they headed out for the arduous trek north.

"You do know that Adam forgives you, don't you?"

"How could he, Hoss, after what I said and did?"

"Joe, Adam has forgiven everything you have ever done to him. He loves you. He would never not love you."

"Even now. I would be you that wherever he is right now, he's been worrying about you. He's probably sick at heart to think you might have married that Melinda, and he wasn't here to stop it."

"Why did she want Adam and not me, Hoss? I did my best to get her to love me, and he didn't even want her, so why?"

"Who knows. Some women just seem to fall for Adam just because he's there. It's not like he has to do anything."

"Then why isn't he married? You would think by now he would have married one of them."

"I keep telling him he's too picky. He says he ain't found the right one yet. I told him that's cause he keeps picking women where there's no future for them. He falls in love with the darndest women, ones he can never marry, but he keeps falling in love with em anyway. Guess there ain't no sense to love."

Near Alturas, Adam was finding that out all over again except this time he wasn't the one who had fallen for someone. It was clear that Eve had more than a little feeling for him. After returning in the afternoon, she had sat on the side of the bed to show him their purchases. She had picked up a copy of Dickens' book which they had discussed. She leaned over him to set the book on the other side of the bed and as she did so, her other hand pressed on his chest. When she turned back, she leaned forward to kiss him. He kissed her back gently but without passion. She sat up and looked at him.

"Eve, I don't feel that way about you. I like you a lot. I think we can be great friends but I don't see anything more happening between us."

Eve wanted to pull her hand away from him, but he captured it in his left hand. He tugged a little until she leaned into him, and then he hugged her. He caressed her back and kissed the top of her head. After a bit, Eve sat back and looked into his beautiful eyes.

"Will you come back and visit me? Will you hug me and kiss me just like that again? I have no children and I just miss having someone to hug."

"Eve, I would be privileged to do that. I will come as often as I can. I will bring my brother Hoss to meet you because you will truly love him too I think."

"Adam, how old are you?"

"Thirty-four. Why?"

"I'm fifty-three. I did not realize how much of an age difference there was. It is far more than I thought."

"I look that old to you?"

"Well you do look younger now that you are not gray with fatigue and your face is not in a perpetual grimace from the pain. Perhaps you could let me shave you too? I was quite good at that once. I may be a bit out of practice but I did that for my husband for the last months of his life. He was dying but he wanted to look his best each day anyway."

"As long as you're sure my nose will still be there when you're done."

"Of course it will. And I'm sure you have recovered enough from the blood loss that a few nicks won't be a problem."

With that, she sashayed out of the room and Adam laughed again despite the discomfort. He had not been this relaxed in a long time. In just a few minutes, Eve returned with towels, strop, razor, and soap dish.

"Belinda will be up in a moment with a hot towel and some hot water."

"You were ready to do this all along, weren't you? What would you have done if I said no?"

"Oh, you do sleep soundly at night. We would have managed. We got all your clothes off of you and got you in that bed. We could manage to shave you!"

Adam shook his head and Eve grinned at him. She had the same type of devilish canary-that-ate-the-cat grin that he did. He admired her for the strength of character she had. He liked her. He wished he could have found her to be his romantic love, but having her for a friend was a great reward. He had been so lucky that she had found him.

The next week was a happy time for Adam and Eve. The day after she shaved him, she brought up drawers that Belinda had made using his pants as a sizing guide. She dug socks out of storage and Adam was able to dress. He didn't wear his boots yet for the first few days as he barely made it down the stairs to the sitting room. There he discovered a piano. When he found that Eve could play, and she found that he could sing so well, there were many nights of entertainment in the three of them singing songs. After a few days, Adam asked for his boots, and he and Eve took a short stroll outside. She had done little to the area. There was a small vegetable garden and a stable. Most of the area retained its natural rugged beauty. By the end of the week, he was strong enough that they took a walk to the nearby stream and sat on a bench near a wide area that was almost like a pond.

"We could go fishing here."

"My husband and I did just that. Maybe tomorrow we could do that in the morning. Belinda and I are making another trip to town in the afternoon. Would you like to join us?"

Adam shook his head no and Eve knew why. He was concerned that the sheriff may have gotten a notification to look for him. He would stay here in anonymity a bit longer. That trip to town would change everything however.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

As Eve and Belinda rode to town, they saw a few papers that looked like wanted posters tacked to trees and paid no attention until Eve suddenly had a suspicion as to why they were there. She had Belinda stop the carriage at the next one they saw and she climbed out to get it. When she read it, it was not what she as expecting.

Adam

The threat from

Baltimore is gone.

Please come home.

Sport misses you too.

It was simple and to the point. Adam needed to know this as soon as possible. Because they were almost in town by that time, they continued with their errand but only until they had purchased the supplies they needed. Then they immediately began the return trip. By late afternoon, they drove into the yard of Eve's home and saw Adam at a makeshift table next to the stable cleaning the fish they had caught that morning. Eve climbed out of the carriage almost before it came to a complete stop. Adam walked to greet her because she appeared to be very emotional. Eve thrust the paper into his hands as soon as she neared him.

"You can go home. It's over."

Adam threw his arms around her and hugged her. He wanted to leave the next day, and Eve said she would go with him. They would take the carriage. It would take longer, but she wanted to meet his family, and he wanted them to meet her. They would get more time together this way as well. The three of them ate a fine fish dinner that night and sang songs with joy before retiring early so they could get an early start. Both ladies packed their bags that night as Eve told Adam: they traveled everywhere together. Belinda's husband had died in one of their mines many years ago and Belinda had been with her ever since. Adam had very little to pack except for his extra shirt, some socks Eve gave him, the shaving kit, and the drawers made by Belinda. It all went in a small valise that Eve gave him.

The next morning it seemed the sun was shining brighter than it had in some time. The sky was clear, and the three climbed into the carriage. Eve sat next to Adam in the front seat and Belinda sat in the back. They began what turned in to a three-day trip. They talked and laughed and wondered aloud what had happened at the Ponderosa. In the afternoon of the third day, Eve asked when they would arrive on the Ponderosa because she thought Adam had said they would be there by this evening. Adam looked at her and smiled. Mine owners had no sense of how big a large ranch could be.

"We've been on the Ponderosa for about four hours now. We should be near the house in another hour or so. I love saying that to people and seeing their eyes get all big, just like yours."

Eve punched him playfully in the arm. The more she had thought about it, the more he seemed like the son she never had. She began thinking about rewriting her will. Those nephews who never visited didn't really need her wealth. This man might do some great things with it. There would always be provisions for Belinda in her will, but her good friend was content to live simply and would have little desire to manage a large estate. She slipped her arm through Adam's and leaned into his shoulder. She was content with her thoughts.

As Adam saw the ranch house in the distance, he pulled up on the team. He looked at Eve as if to say, there it is. She looked at the large house in the distance with its grand setting and was amazed.

"That is beautiful. You must be so proud of what your family has accomplished here."

Adam nodded, smiled, and then snapped the reins to move forward again. Ad they got nearer, Eve could feel the tension in him. As they pulled into the yard, he sat on the carriage bench as if to drink in the feel of home again. He hadn't been sure he would ever be able to feel this way again. Hoss walked outside to see who had arrived and stepped back inside only long enough to yell that Adam was home before he rushed to his brother and lifted him off of the ground in one of his classic bear hugs. Ben and Joe rushed out of the house to hug Adam as well. He seldom enjoyed these displays of affection but this was one of those times. As he hugged Joe, he whispered in his ear: "I love you little buddy!" Joe had tears in his eyes as he whispered back: "I love you too."

Next Adam introduced Eve and Belinda to his family. Briefly Adam described becoming lost, losing consciousness, and waking up in Eve's home where he had been until Eve found the poster and brought it to him. After that story which took some time, they went inside, and Adam escorted the ladies upstairs to guest rooms.

Ben watched him walk up the stairs until he disappeared around the corner. He felt so good having his son home again. But he did shake his head in appreciation of the circumstances.

"What is it, Pa. Adam's home. Is something wrong?"

"No Hoss, not wrong, not wrong at all, just amazing."

"How is it 'amazing', Pa. Adam told us how she rescued him."

"Joseph, Hoss: your brother got involved in a big mess, then he got shot, and got lost. But who rescues him and nurses him back to health? One of the richest women in California! That, boys, is amazing don't you think?"

It was even more amazing later that evening as Ben mentioned that Hamilton Industries had seldom awarded any contracts to the Ponderosa. Eve said that would change as long as they sent Adam to do the negotiating. She said he was like a dear son to her, and she would instruct management to treat him as such. She complimented Ben on having such a talented gentleman as a son. Adam grinned in embarrassment at her description of him, but was proud that she felt that way. Ben and his brothers listened carefully because now they knew what the relationship between the two of them was. Adam had hugged Eve and kissed her lightly which had made them wonder. Ben especially was happy on more than one level to find they had a mother-son relationship which became apparent to everyone later as Ben invited Eve to sit on the porch and enjoy a sherry with him. After they walked outside, all three sons grinned at each other and at Belinda who shared in their merriment. Belinda was thinking to herself: Now there was man Eve could get serious about. Heck, they already shared a 'son'!


End file.
